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Philosophy | Cleaning in
General | Traditional Cleaning
Cleaning the Dishes | Product
Labeling | Toxicity
Antibacterials | Paper
Towels
Some of Green Martha's Cleaning Philosophy
 Our
Expectations
None of us is likely to walk into a public or private space for the first
time and think, "hmmm, this place is clean". We might note that
it is particularly sparse, or beautifully appointed, or have a great view,
but our attention will not be drawn to how clean it is. This is because
we expect places to be clean, and we are more apt to notice when they
are not. Cleaning is a subtractive process; we take the dirt away from
what's there. When a visitor arrives unexpectedly we don't apologize for
how clean the place is, but we often feel uncomfortable if they have caught
the place a mess or dirty.
Clutter is not Dirt
Dirt and clutter, are not the same thing, though we often confuse the
two. Clutter, or mess, is what we notice first, dirt takes a little longer
to see. Some people are very tidy, but lax about the dirt, others keep
a relatively clean house, but there may be an avalanche of mess. Still
others maintain surroundings that are both clean and tidy, while there
are some who live in cluttered and dirty places.
Clutter -- Where to Put it
Clutter management is sometimes simply a matter of rethinking storage.
If the cupboards, closets, and bookshelves are already stuffed to capacity,
then there isn't room for anything new. This means the overflow lives
on counters, spare chairs, piled in corners, and spilling off tables.
Those piles of stuff also make it difficult to get at what is already
in our storage area -- one more reason why we've forgotten what we already
own. In these situations, trying to clean is a nightmare because so much
stuffed has to be moved first and then put back.
Try This at Home
To bring order to creeping chaos, focus on just one storage area, maybe
the kitchen drawer that houses food storage containers. Match up the bottoms
and tops that fit together, and pitch the others into a bag for recycling.
Voila, room for something else. Before tackling a more complicated space,
take some time to think about what's already in there, how to edit it,
where it will go, and what else might be stored there. Then figure out
the easiest way to go about it, decide how much time to dedicate, and
tailor your expectations. It is guaranteed that finishing up these kinds
of projects makes us feel more buoyant, if we keep the scale in mind.
Otherwise we become overwhelmed and walk away, leaving a much more problematic
mess than the original situation.
Yours, Mine, and Ours
The issue is slightly different when living in a household with other
folks. What clutters our lives is stuff, and most possessions like clothes,
books, mail, toys, sporting equipment, and toiletries, are personal possessions.
Therefore it is usually the responsibility of the owner of these things
to pick up after him or herself, that way boundaries of accountability
are fairly clear, even though execution may be another matter. These things
don't necessarily need to be cleaned, but group possessions like dishes,
appliances, furniture, and the domicile itself, do.
No Team
Being the dirt cleaner can be more problematic because the lines of responsibility
blur in many situations. It can become a thankless task to maintain the
cleanliness criterion for a group. Those that we clean for, be they partners,
children, housemates, work mates, or employers, can come to expect clean
surroundings, taking for granted all the work goes into maintain a standard
others have come to count on. It is understandable that the people providing
this service, sometimes from the goodness of their hearts, can feel taken
for granted. This is not an inspired basis for tackling a physical, repetitive
project that is probably boring as well.
Go Team
Cleaning gets to be a power issue if one party feels out of balance with
the other or others. Then everything feels thankless, and there is no
joy in that. A sure way to pin prick tensions is for the parties to come
together and tackle the predicament as a team, focusing on ways to level
the playing field. If the cleaning person is a professional, more money
may be in order, or a greater flexibility in how or when the work is executed.
If it is a housemate situation, a rotation of tasks would even out the
execution of the nasty parts. If it is a breadwinner/homemaker situation,
determining the value of each person's offering is critical since there
isn't much of a common denominator linking the two types of work together.
This last one can be very tricky and the parties have to be quite honest
and kind in their negotiations.
The Junior Team
If the circumstance involves youngsters, then cooperation is the oil to
grease the workings for a smooth situation. Just like most adults, kids
don't really want to tackle housework especially alone, but as part of
a team there is more enthusiasm. Young kids especially want to help out
because it makes them feel more grown-up. Begin by letting them help you
make a bed or clean something. Then work side by side as they learn the
tricks of the trade. As kids get older it isn't necessary for everybody
to be set to the same project, but time passes more pleasantly with a
loose connection of those involved, maybe at different projects in near
by parts of the house.
Cooperation
Setting a beginning and ending time, and tailoring tasks to that framework
can be a boost too because it's very satisfying to see the completion
of a good job well done. In any of these situations, it helps to consider
that the sharing of responsibilities will probably get the job done more
easily, efficiently, and thoroughly, freeing up all concerned to enjoy
the fruits of their labor. Relaxing in a clean and tidy space is very
satisfying!
Attitude Matters
There is more to say about cleaning and time. Cleaning, like everything
else is solidly influenced by attitude. Cleaning can be considered a drudgery,
or it can be as meaningful as any other pursuit -- something Shaker and
Amish people understand and practice faithfully. Do we respect and value
our possessions, or are they just more stuff cluttering up our lives?
Some basic questions to ask are, how much stuff do I want to care for,
and when does the balance shift from me owning something to it owning
me? How difficult is it for me to store my things so they don't crush,
molder, break, or become impossible to find?
A Good Investment
If we do respect the belongings that enhance our lives, then they deserve
adequate care. This takes regularly allotted time. Stealing time from
other pursuits usually breeds resentment, making the task at hand frustrating.
Therefore, dedicating time becomes an act of regard for self and property.
Catching spots on wet laundry before they set in the dryer's heat, polishing
a table so drinking glass rings don't leave permanent marks, cleaning
and storing gear at the end of a season, these are all simple tasks that
can save lots of time and money in the future. Ss they age, well cared
for things glow with good condition. By extending their life expectancy,
we encourage the dynamic of honoring our possessions instead of resenting
them turning into cleaning and repair nightmares.
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